Carpe Demon
by MelonMochi
Summary: (au/rinXamaiXbon) Amaimon used to be a demon king, a feral monster that devoured human souls...until a horrific car accident wiped his memory.
1. Bookstore

**Hello. I have little faith in my writing skills so we'll see how this goes.**

**I would like some help deciding on a pairing. I want to focus on romance, but I'm not sure who it should be. So I figured I'd let my readers decide. Please leave a review (or send a quick PM if you'd rather do that) and tell me who you'd like to see paired with Amai. Boy, girl, doesn't matter. I'm comfortable with both yaoi and hetero. If I don't get any reviews by the time the romantic stuff kicks in, I'll default to Rin.**

**This is going to be a slice-of-life type of story, and I'm saying this now because I know it doesn't appeal to everyone, but it will be centered around a basic plot. Not every chapter will advance the plot (fillers?) and I can't imagine that it will be very interesting given how I write stories. I'm just doing this because I'm bored and it seemed like a good idea at the time. :P**

**A few warnings: Amaimon will obviously be _very VERY _out of character, but I'll try to make him as close to cannon as possible. And t****he title might change later on if I ever think of anything better. (It's a play on carpe diem, if anyone is curious.)**

**Let me know if you find any misspellings or grammar mistakes. I was feeling pretty bleh when I wrote this so I didn't edit much.**

**Blue Exorcist belongs to Katou Kazue and Co.**

* * *

**Chapter One**

Sometimes when I slept, I dreamed of standing in a meadow, surrounded by trees and the serene sounds of their rustling leaves. The ground was thick with tall grass and wildflowers that swayed in the cool breeze like ripples across the ocean. Above me, the sky was overcast, monochrome in color and heavy with rain. Thunder rumbled in the distance as I waited impatiently for the summer shower. I wanted it to rain on me, wanted to feel the cold droplets against my skin as the pure water washed away my thoughts.

But the pleasant sensation never came, and I was thrown back into a cruel reality.

Dim morning light filtered through the beige curtains that covered my window. I lay still in bed, trying to shake off the dream and come back to the real world. My roommate was surprised to find me awake, though I barely noticed his presence until he spoke.

"Did I wake you?" He was sitting at his desk, studying on a Sunday morning.

"No."

Bon nodded and, ever studious, returned to his textbook. I pulled myself upright, tracing the ridged scar that ran across my temple lightly with my fingertips. It was something I did every morning, a bad habit that doubled as an anchor to reality. I tried to make it disappear, grow out my fringe, cover it with concealer, but it was futile. Whenever I glanced in the mirror, even if I couldn't see it, I knew it was there, glaring at me, an ugly reminder that I would never feel whole.

I had an accident three months ago that resulted in a traumatic head wound. I lost everything that day, forced to start from scratch. The man who found me, apparently my older brother, was kind enough to enroll me in his school, at least until the memories returned, he said. But they never did and they never would.

Mephisto, dear big brother, struggled to remind me of the things I once enjoyed, hoping to spark something in the back of my mind. Video games, manga, anime, movies, food; it was exhausting to pretend just to make him happy. Bon was the only one who understood me, who let me be myself, made me feel halfway human, and I was disappointed my _brother_ couldn't do the same. He was unable to accept me, no longer the childish, impulsive troublemaker that begged him for candy.

I decided I would never be the Amaimon my big brother wanted me to be, so I stopped trying, refusing (unsuccessfully) to linger on these uncomfortable thoughts. I only wished that he could do the same. But I was afraid to tell him that, terrified that fate would take the last few shreds of peace I had left. I didn't want to lose him too, but I feared the love I felt for him was no more than a weak echo of the past.

"Amai, are you alright?" I felt Bon place a hand gently on my shoulder, voice husky and familiar. "You've been staring at the wall for forty minutes."

"I guess I dozed off."

"Well, hurry and wake up." His hand left me. "I'll leave you behind if you're not ready in the next ten minutes."

"Go ahead; I'll catch up."

I knew it wouldn't send him away, but that's what made him charming. He narrowed his eyes, brow pulled together in a concerned glare. "Just hurry up."

* * *

At first, Bon didn't want me to go. He said it would be boring and he wouldn't have time to show me around. But, after hearing that I'd never been to a bookstore, or, at least, couldn't remember, he changed his mind, agreeing to take me as long as I did not leave the store. Mephisto specifically placed me in his care, and I could only imagine how angry big brother would be if he learned I had gotten myself lost in the city, so I promised to stay nearby no matter how boring the books were.

The store was within walking distance of the school's main entrance and it didn't take us long to hurry down the main road. Three people were waiting for us outside, two of which I recognized as Shima, a carefree casanova who was far too interested in the assets of young women, and Koneko, a well-mannered boy whose name I found rather ironic. I didn't know who the third one was, but he couldn't hold my attention long enough for me to care. I waited behind Bon as he greeted them, the smooth, delicious scent of coffee making me impatient.

"Amai, this is Okumura," he nodded to the strange boy with the darkened hair, slightest hint of irritation hanging on his words. "This is the _idiot_ I was telling you about."

"Hi," he smiled, unaffected by Bon's insult, and held his hand out to me. "You can call me Rin." I didn't know what he wanted me to do with his outstretched arm, so I stared at it. "Uh, i-it's a handshake."

"Don't touch me."

"Fine." He dropped his 'handshake' with a huff, giving me an offended glare. "I was just trying to be friendly."

"He's always like this," Shima draped an arm around Rin's shoulders as the blue-haired teen lowered his gaze to his feet. "You'll get used to him," he said, grinning playfully.

"Oh, Amai," Koneko's voice distracted me from the brick building. "This is your first time at a bookstore, isn't it?"

"Yes."

Rin laughed once and rolled his eyes. "You're kidding, right? This is your _first _time at a bookstore?" His haughty, high-pitched tone was irritating. "Do you even know what a book is?"

There was an awkward silence briefly hanging in the air around us until Bon roughly grabbed my shoulders. "Let's go." He shoved me into the store, dragging me to the source of the smells that emanated through the open windows. "I'll get you something to drink. If you want anything else, you'll have to use your own money." His brow was furrowed in frustration and I could tell he was clenching his teeth. It wasn't his place to be angry over what Rin had said to me, but I knew arguing with his childish behavior would only make things worse.

I busied myself with my surroundings while we waited for the line to move. The store was organized by sections of shelves that were packed with books separated by genre. Large signs hung down from the high ceiling, distinguishing each area. It was quiet and relaxing, the murmur of low voices and shifting pages a gentle hum in the air. My attention was eventually drawn to a nearby display of Shakespearean plays. I was curious, having heard about the author from students at True Cross, and wandered over to the collection to pick something out.

Bon chuckled when he noticed the book in my hands. "_Romeo and Juliet_? Since when did you read love stories?" He handed me a styrofoam cup and led me to an empty table at the café. I sat down, gliding my fingertips over the book's glossy cover.

"It looked interesting."

His expression softened. "I won't spoil it, but it's not a nice story. It might be a bit too much for a first read." I opened it and stared down at the printed text.

"I can judge that for myself."

"Alright," he sighed. "Don't say I didn't warn you." His tone was playfully and friendly, though it sounded forced. He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it again, hesitating with his thoughts. Before he could recollect himself, his friends approached us and reminded him that he was here for a reason. "Send a text if you need anything." I nodded and watched him point the small group toward the section labeled 'demonology'.

I was left alone at the table with a rich, delicious cup of coffee. It was bitter and sweet, calming coupled with the atmosphere and the texture of printed pages against my fingers. I tried to read it, honest, but Bon's words were heavy on my mind.

Love was among the things I despised. I knew, once you cared about a person, it was impossible to be logical about them, but any more than that was beyond my comprehension. Since my accident, I've had trouble expressing myself; I didn't know how to smile or laugh, face set in a constant half-lidded, bored expression, like I was carved out of marble. I feared, if I started reading, the lack of understanding I had would frustrate me and keep me from enjoying the story, however gruesome it was.

So I sat there, staring at the words without seeing them, struggling to decide if I should read it or return it to the shelf. Thankfully, I was interrupted when I felt someone standing beside me. I closed the book and looked up, surprised to find the condescending, blue-haired _idiot_, as Bon call him.

"Hey," Rin greeted me with a small smile before pulling out a chair. "Mind if I sit?" I didn't want to respond, so he took my silence as an opportunity to make himself comfortable next to me. He was quiet for a moment, eyes locked on his fingers as he fidgeted, and I wondered what he was thinking about. His dark hair fell in his face and he looked...bothered by something. "I'm sorry about what I said earlier." His sudden change in behavior grabbed my attention and I tilted my head at him, curious to hear more. "Shima told me about the memory loss problem. I'm sorry," he repeated, pausing to take a breath. "It must be hard for you."

"It's not."

He looked up at me, concerned. I noticed how piercing and vibrant his eyes were. "So you're not mad?"

"No, but Bon is."

Rin laughed, airy and innocent. "Yeah, but he gets mad over everything."

"That's true."

We sat together as I sipped on the remains of my coffee, surrounded by a silence that was both unfamiliar and comforting. I felt drawn to Rin despite having only met him less than an hour ago. He was interesting, like a candy with a bizarre flavor. I wanted to know more about him, though I wasn't sure why.

"Are you a part of the cram school too?"

"Huh?" Rin lifted his head, brought of out his reverie by my voice. "Oh, yeah! We're having this huge study session over summer break and I'm supposed to be getting books for it."

"Books about demons?"

He tensed, and I noticed something flicker across his face, a strange emotion that I didn't recognize. Disgust? "Y-Yeah...how do you know?"

"Bon always has these weird books about demons and the supernatural with him. Koneko, too. I just assumed you were part of his little group."

"Do you know anything about demons?" He was relaxed now, resting his chin on his hand.

"I saw a commercial about demons once. They were vanquished by soap suds."

Rin's smile was gentle, brightening his features. I continued to talk to him, urging him on so I wouldn't be tempted to open the book in front of me. He told me about his younger twin brother and about his interest in manga. Our conversation eventually took a turn for the worst, and I was bored, fingering the pages of _Romeo and Juliet_ while I mindlessly listened to him babble about how irritated he was that this princess from a drama he was reading couldn't save herself. It was just like talking with big brother.

Bon rescued me about ten minutes later, just before I reached my breaking point. "You guys ready?" I abruptly jumped to my feet, knocking the chair back. He chuckled softly at my sudden response. "I told you it would be boring." It's not the books that were boring me, but I didn't want to say that with Rin here.

"Did you guys get everything?" The blue-haired teen stood and shoved his hands in his pockets.

"No thanks to you." Rin and Bon obviously didn't have a well-rounded friendship. They glared at each other until Koneko came between them.

"Uh…why don't we stop for lunch on the way back?"

"Sure!" Rin immediately perked up. "I'm starving!"

"Amai." Before I was able to move from the table and follow them to the door, Bon held out a plastic bag. "Here. We scrapped together some extra money and bought this for you."

"I thought you said if I wanted anything else, I would have to buy it with my money."

He narrowed his eyes, annoyed, and shoved it into my arms. "Shut up and take it."

Inside was a copy of _Romeo and Juliet_.


	2. Reading Buddies

**Chapter Two**

Bon's hair fascinated me: deep, dark russet nestled around a thick honey stripe and accompanied by a sweet, delicious scent I can only describe as...well...as Bon. It was intense, not that it was a bad thing, but I knew he was near just from the aroma that lingered. I never understood it and, even now as I watched him sleep, my sensitive senses continued to elude me.

He smelled different today, not like how he usually does after a run or shower, but spicy and stale, strange and foreign. I spent most of the day brooding over him. I'm not sure why; I normally don't think about other people too much and Bon was independent enough to care for himself if his body happened to give in to the parasite.

Yet, this particular parasite felt distantly familiar, as if I knew its source but was too afraid to remember. It worried me and I made it my job to keep an eye on him through the early morning hours.

I never slept much. Big brother said that was normal for 'someone like me' to only sleep for an hour, but didn't go any further to explain what that meant. Days felt more like intervals, increments that passed in uneven lurches like a vehicle on a gravel path.

But that is what made my dreams so special, my field so precious in its redundancy. And this was why tonight's dream surprised me. I feared that perhaps my constant thinking of Bon had somehow worked its way into the inner reaches of my mind to destroy the scenery I was so comfortable with.

Tonight my usually peaceful meadow was on fire, a brilliant, blue blaze that made my body tremble and my mind panic. The trees were rotting, but not from heat. Though the flames licked at their bark, they did not burn. The grass had vanished, replaced by hard rock, and the sky was dark, vast and huge, like it would swallow me if I stared too long. Black specks dotted the horizon, flitting in the breeze until they surrounded me and swirled like angry locust. And then I felt a presence creeping toward me. The hair on the back of my neck stood straight and my skin prickled with goosebumps.

_Astaroth…_

A name echoed through the air, overwhelming my senses, hazing my vision, and causing a sharp pain in the back of my head. I doubled over and covered my ears, desperately trying to match a face to his name.

_ASTAROTH…_

I awoke with a start and, unable to fall back to sleep, sat at the desk to watch my Bon through a space in the thick curtains that separated our rooms. He looked peaceful as his chest rose and fell, face glowing in the dim, green light from the digital numbers on his clock. I waited, without knowing what it was I waited for, and let his snoring sooth my worries like a lullaby.

The next day, Bon became bedridden with a fever. He smelled musty and rotten. Small, black specks twirled around him, squeaking as they bumped into each other. I wasn't alarmed by them, in fact I expected them, and did my best to keep the dust-like creatures away from his face. I somehow knew if they came too close, they would make his illness worse.

I felt guilty.

I could have told him of the oncoming flame that would plague his body, but I didn't. Big brother would always confide in me when he was annoyed and say 'people should take responsibility for their actions'. I didn't want to anger him, so I skipped my classes to care for Bon until he was able to walk.

The hospital wasn't able to admit him. _It was just a fever_, Mr. Doctor said, _it's not high enough to be a serious problem_. All I could do was make him comfortable and wait for his body to fight off the mysterious parasite. He was mad, of course, but too weak to chastise me, so he grunted and gave me a pathetic glare. I was prepared to face his anger, but until then, he needed rest and I needed to atone for my lack of action.

Shima and Koneko came by that day to drop off our assignments and check on his condition. I waited patiently at my desk while the trio socialized.

"I told you," Shima mocked, an eyebrow raised. "If you weren't always trying to one-up Okumura, this wouldn't have happened." Bon opened his mouth to speak, brow scrunched in irritation, but his words became lodged in his throat and he coughed violently. The black specks whirled around him, coming out from somewhere deep in his lungs.

"Bon," Koneko placed a comforting hand on his friend to calm him. "Shima is right. It was too dangerous to go in there alone. We're lucky it's just a cough."

"Whatever," his voice was scratchy and weak, as if he didn't know how to use it.

"Inever imagined a tiny amount of coal tar could make _you_ this sick!" The pink-haired teen snickered.

Coal tar? That word sounded familiar, sparked something in the back of my mind. I felt a shudder of excitement tingle along my spine as I tried to keep myself composed.

"What's a coal tar?"

"H-Huh?" Shima's head snapped up, wide, worried eyes locked firmly to mine. "Uh-Uh, w-wh-what?"

"What's a coal tar?" I repeated, tilting my head curiously.

"I-I said candy bar," he fumbled with his response, forcing a grin.

"...Huh?"

* * *

"You haven't been reading _Romeo and Juliet_," he commented, voice still strained. I shook my head and took the empty can of miso from him. He lied down and placed an arm over his eyes, preventing the light from intensifying the pounding in his temples.

"I can't get past the first page."

He laughed, airy and light, mocking my inability to comprehend Shakespeare's use of language. I'm not intelligent and, because of my accident and big brother's refusal to get me therapy, I had difficulty with certain cognitive activities. I couldn't distinguish the literal meaning of textbooks to the undercurrent in literary works. When I tried to read, understand the hidden meaning in the author's words, my mind became a haze of confused thoughts, incoherent and chaotic and eventually furious.

Just thinking about '_draw your neck out of collar_' made me frantic.

It wasn't my fault and he knew this!

I couldn't understand why Bon, someone who I trusted to accept me despite my faults, was badgering me. I didn't say anything and ground my teeth in mute frustration. He seemed to, at least, understand the anger in my silence.

"I'm sorry, Amai. I'm not laughing at you; it's just, I said the same exact thing when I was a kid." He moved his arm to look at me, smiling gently. His apology did little to ease my infuriation. "We'll buy something easier to read once I get back from the study camp." He placed a hand over mine. I wanted to snatch my arm away, emphasize my animosity at his laughter, but instead I entwined my fingers with his, enthralled by the texture of his calloused skin.

Before he could speak again, a knock came to our door. I dropped him and went to answer it.

Shima said there was a student in their after school classes who could prepare the proper medicine for Bon. Her name was Moriyama Shiemi and she would be stopping by today to drop it off.

I'm not sure what I expected to be at that door. I never concerned myself with females.

I wasn't surprised that she was small, but surprised that she was innocent and dainty, like a blossom with fragile, silky petals. Moriyama astounded me; she looked young and yet had a sinfully curvaceous body. (Not unlike most females, I assume. Still, it startled me.)

"H-Hello," she greeted sheepishly, clutching a small box to her chest. "I have medicine for Suguro." Her eyes nervously wavered from mine, and I feared I had frightened her. "My name is Shiemi."

"My name is Amaimon."

Our brief, informal greeting had relaxed her and she smiled brilliantly at me. I stepped aside to allow her in and softly closed the door behind her. Bon lifted his head weakly as she sat in the available chair positioned nearby. "Hey," his voice was little more than a mumble. "Sorry to make you come all the way alone."

She shook her head, blonde hair playfully brushing at her chin. "It's no problem." The girl set the box on her lap and opened it tentatively. "These herbs will help with the coa-" She suddenly stiffened and turned to me. Confused, my eyes flicked between her and Bon. "Um, Amaimon? Do you...know anything about demons?"

Strange. Rin asked that very same thing last week.

"No."

"Okay," she nodded at me with a soft smile.

Nothing more was said as Bon was forced to swallow a medicinal capsule.

* * *

Together, we silently watched Bon drift in and out of consciousness.

Shiemi was pretty, but not like Rin, whose attractiveness was a result of the vibrant, blue hues in his eyes and the spicy, burned cedar smell of his hair. Her hair curved gently under her chin, its fair shade accentuating the emerald of her eyes. She was delicate, beautiful, and petite; her head barely reached over my shoulders, and, like her frame, her hands were small and fragile. A light, flowery scent lingered on her, like a spring breeze.

I was perversely intrigued by the chance to feel her skin. I eyed her, scrambling for a reason to touch her, even if it was the smallest and most insignificant: a lock of hair out of place, a smudge on her cheek, anything. But she was agonizingly and appallingly perfect.

I immediately turned away when she moved her head, afraid she would catch me staring. Big brother said it was rude to stare.

"Um...Amai?" Her voice was meek and barely above a whisper.

"Yes?"

The girl hesitated, pulling at the rim of her uniform skirt, biting the bottom of her full lips. She was much more entertaining to watch than Bon. "I don't want to sound rude, but," she paused again, slowly raising her mossy eyes to meet mine. "You lost your memory, right?" I nodded. "All of it?"

"No, not all of it. I remember a lot of things like names, cities, foods. I even know how to use the Internet and my phone."

Shiemi was satisfied by my answer and turned her body to face me. I continued under her curious gaze, overcome with a familiar sense of safety.

"But there are some things I can't understand, things in the back of my mind that I can't pull forward. Like memories I've shared with big brother and the faces of my siblings. I have trouble remembering new things, I get distracted easily, and I can't read very well."

She nodded slowly with a solemn frown. "If it makes you feel better, I can't read very well either." I felt that Shiemi understood me, accepted me in spite of my missing fragments. "Hey, I have an idea!" She perked up, causing Bon's soft snoring to cease. "Why don't we learn how to read together?"

"_Together_?" I tilted my head, curious, and noticed Bon smile out of the corner of my eyes.

"Uh, I mean," her breath lodged in her throat and she lowered her head. "I-If you don't mind..."

"Like friends?"

"Y-Yes!" Shiemi took my hand in hers and I was intrigued by their softness. "Will you be my friend, Amaimon?"

"Okay."

"R-Really?" Her eyes widened and her face flushed with excitement. I was taken aback by her exaggerated outburst of energy, but I accepted it as a fault of hers. She took a deep breath to calm herself and gave me a motivated grin. "Okay! From now on we're reading buddies!"

...Reading buddies? What a strange synonym for friends.

* * *

**I'm still taking suggestions for a pairing! If you want to see Amai with someone, (gender doesn't matter), please post it in a review or send a PM.**

**Oh, I forgot to mention this in the first chapter, but the rating is eventually going to be M for obvious...romantic...reasons. It's K+ for now because nothing is really happening and it'll take me a while to get to the M-rated stuff, (I'm still not very familiar with pacing in stories.) I will increase the rating when it's appropriate.**

**Anyway, thank you very much to everyone who took the time to read! I was very surprised with the feedback since I thought the first chapter was pretty messy and filled with purple prose.**

**mangaczka: **Yeah, I realize I made it impossible to pair up Amaimon and Mephisto and I apologize for that. There will be moments between them given how Mephisto acts, though! Thank you very much for leaving a review and a suggestion AND for the good luck! (:

**ProbableImpossibilities:** Haha, the title was a complete accident. I was skimming and read it as carpe demon. It took my brain a while to realize the word was actually diem. I'm glad you like it, though! Thanks for leaving a review and suggestions! I really appreciate it!

**ai enmachan**: When I first starting writing Amai, he was so unbelievably out of character it was funny. Ever since then I've been really paranoid about keeping him in character. xD I'm relieved to know that he's okay here! And thank you for the review and pairing suggestion!

**StalkSongGo55:** Well I don't want you to be ashamed, so here you go! xD Anyway, I REALLY like the idea of a triangle and I think it would fit here given Amai's lack of understand when it comes to love. Thank you kindly for the suggestion and for leaving a reivew!


	3. Astaroth

**Chapter Three**

"Biiiiig broooother..."

Boisterous, upbeat sounds from big brother's large television set drowned my voice. I could barely hear the _tak_ noises as he fervorously pressed the buttons on his controller. He was playing _Tales of Symphony_ (or something) and shooed me away while a crew of colorful characters on his screen battled the final boss.

"...I'm bored."

But he ignored me.

I groaned, depressed, and turned back to the open window. The cool, bitter evening wind brushed playfully against my hair and, for a moment, my mind was blank. I breathed in the crisp scent of the outside world, wishing I was back in my dorm with Bon instead of spending the weekend here with big brother. I love Mephisto, but, sometimes, it seemed like he loved his cartoons more than me.

And I was jealous.

Surely Amaimon was more interesting than flashing pictures on a big screen? No, I was! Big brother could touch me, hold me, feel the texture of my skin, do things to me he couldn't do to Miku or Mikasa. But, if that were true, why didn't he pay attention to me? Was I not good enough?

"Amaimon! Stop moping!" Big brother had left his mound of pink pillows to scold me.

"No!" I puffed up my cheeks childishly and folded my arms across my chest.

Mephisto let out a heavy, frustrated sigh and pried me from the open window. He pulled me close and I automatically wrapped my arms around him, burying myself in the familiar warmth of his body. "Otouto," his voice was soft and soothing. "Why don't you play a few games with me?"

"I don't like games. " My voice was muffled against his yukata.

"Nonsense. You love games!" He guided me to the television set. "I'll even let you win the first round."

"I don't want to play!" I squirmed, kicked and flailed, until, out of disgust for my behavior, he released me. "Stop forcing me to do things I don't want to do!" It was a sudden outburst of frustration; I didn't mean it. I usually kept these feelings bottled up, afraid that the truth would hurt him. Yet, strangely, I felt relief after shouting, as if some of the pressure of our 'relationship' had been released. I frowned at him, ashamed, as he patted my head.

"Come now, Otouto. I love you and would never force you!" But his love was made of words and words, like sand, blew away.

"Big brother, the harder you try to comfort me, the less comfort you actually give. I am not the Otouto you once knew, so please stop."

"Amaimon…" Mephisto lifted my chin to meet his warm gaze. He gently cupped my cheek and dragged his thumb against my skin. It didn't feel good; not because it was big brother, but because I knew I didn't deserve to be treated like this.

"Don't touch me."

He dropped his arm, his eyes distant and dark and unemotional. I couldn't understand the cruelty behind them, but then, I couldn't understand how much he loved the person whose body I claimed.

An impatient, abrupt knock interrupted our argument, relieving the tension in the air around us. "Yes, yes; coming!" Mephisto pushed me aside and answered the door. I couldn't see who it was from my spot behind him, just a bit of black from his uniform. "Ah, Yukio. How can I help you?"

I pushed myself up to my toes and tried to peer over big brother's shoulder, but he was too tall. "I apologize for bothering you at this hour." I dropped to the floor and managed to squirm my way into the office through Mephisto's legs. "I need to speak with you about…um…" his voice trailed off as our eyes met. "G-Good evening."

Waiting in big brother's office, stack of papers in hand, was a brown-haired student no older than myself. His hair was neatly styled and he had thinly framed glasses. I recognized the elongated coat he wore as most of the staff members who visited Mephisto had something similar.

So did that mean this _teenager_ was a _teacher_?

"My name is Amaimon."

He didn't hesitate to introduce himself. "I'm Yukio." His pleasant smile reached his eyes, curving his delicate features. He had a familiar scent lingering around him…like burning cedar.

"Do you know Rin?"

Yukio was shocked by my question and stared, unblinkingly, at me with dull, turquoise eyes. "Amaimon!" Big brother sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance. "Here," he fumbled with his pink wallet and handed me a two thousand yen bill. "Go buy yourself some snacks at the corner store. You remember where it is, right?"

No, I didn't. But I wanted to please him, so I nodded.

"It's on the corner."

"Excellent. Now go," he spoke hastily, nudging me out the double doors and into the dark hallway. "Yukio and I have some things to discuss."

"But I-"

Mephisto closed the door.

* * *

The sky was dark with thick, graying clouds gathering in the distance. Somber colored buildings stretched high above me, streetlights casting ominous shadows on their walls. I paused by a few of the glass-fronted shops, curiously peeking into their dark interiors to glance at the products on display. Nothing caught my interest, nor were any of them grocery stores, so I continued around the corner.

I shivered and crossed my arms tightly against my chest to control myself. I wasn't cold, but being so utterly alone was slightly unnerving. Bon usually accompanied me on late night trips for food, however, tonight he was busy with the study session. There was little foot traffic; I only noticed a couple of students on the other side of the street.

I smelled something thick and rotten pervading the air as I made my way deeper into the town's abandoned shopping center. Familiar, black specks flitted by me, searching for something. Their numbers were small at first, but began to increase as I continued. One of them bumped into my nose and squeaked angrily.

"Do you know where the corner store is?"

"_Squeak_!" It twirled in the direction that it came in, others following closely behind. I don't remember the store being that far back...

We eventually reached a part of the town I had never seen before. Warehouses lined either side of the small road, each with large, monochrome doors that were locked for the weekend. I noticed engine parts and an old truck that lacked wheels sitting atop concrete blocks in one of the storage yards. I followed the black specks, which now appeared more fog-like, around another corner and onto a new street void of lights.

After a short walk, the group of black specks turned and disappeared into a dark alley. Hesitantly, I peeked in, seeing nothing but scattered trash, a chain link fence, and an open door leading into one of the warehouses. The scent was strong here, almost unbearable. I covered my mouth and nose with a hand and turned away.

A loud, rattling sound stopped me before I could return to the safety of the streetlights.

"Fucking...shit!" I stumbled backward as an empty can shot out of the alleyway.

A white haired teenager rounded the corner as I took a cautious step forward, almost bumping into me. He wore a flannel shirt under a dark colored vest and black pants. Horns jutted out from above his ears and curled sharply, the discolored ends of the bone pointing outward. I noticed a white tail whipping wildly back and forth. The black specks surround him like a fog of gnats.

"Amaimon?" Curiosity was heavy in his voice and I felt as if I should know him.

"Huh?"

"What the hell are you doing here?" He stepped toward me, eyes narrowed and brow pulled together in a baffled glare. "And why are you wearing a school uniform? It's Sunday." He circled me as if I were prey, searching for something just like the black specks.

I knew him from somewhere. The curled horns, the black claws, the jagged teeth, the raspy voice, the sour scent...everything about him was so familiar and yet lost in a haze of new memories. Though I couldn't remember his name, I could clearly remember the black specks that bothered Bon during his fever.

"Are you the one who put those bug things in Bon's lungs?"

The goat-teenager hybrid snorted. "The coal tar?" He waved the fog away with his hand. "I don't control what they do," he said sternly, glaring. "It's not my fault _Bon_ got infected."

"...Who are you?"

He burst out with laughter, leaning his head back and gripping his sides. Once he calmed himself, he snarled at me. "It's me!" I tilted my head as a response. "Astaroth, you _ding-dong_!"

"My name is Amaimon."

"I know that!"

"I don't remember you."

"You-" He immediately stopped and gave me a confused, astonished frown. "Y-You're kidding...right? We grew up together in Gehenna!" I shook my head. "I'm your older brother!"

"Oh!" I knew I had somewhere between five to ten brothers, but couldn't match their names to faces. "Hello."

"Hello?... That's it? _Hello_?" He spoke through gritted teeth.

"Do you know where the corner store is?"

He suddenly relaxed his body language and shoved his hand in his pockets. "You mean the convenience store? It's on the other side of town." His eyes widened when he realized why I was asking for its location. "Were you looking for a grocery store all the way out here?" I nodded. He sighed and shook his head. "You never were very bright..." he mumbled it under his breath, but loud enough for me to hear.

"That's not very nice."

"Whatever," he spat, running a hand through his dirtied, disheveled hair. "Let's go." He turned and began to walk back to the streetlights. I followed him, jogging to keep up with his long, quick stride.

"Where are we going?"

"To the convenience store."

"You're going to escort me?"

"I'm not leaving my baby brother out here in the middle of the night." He glanced over his shoulder to frown at me.

"Oh...uh," I wracked my memory for his name, but nothing came to me. "What's your name?"

"_Astaroth_!" He snarled, pulling his upper lip back to flash his fangs.

"Astaroth...I remember now. You like dead things."

"That's right! And, hey," he grabbed a light post and twirled around it. "Check it out," he struck a pose. "I got myself my own permanent host like you."

"...Got myself?" I tilted my head, watching him dancing around the deserted street as we made our way back into the main part of town. "I don't understand."

"I think his name is Shiratori Reiji. Pretty dumb kid." He faced me, hands in his pockets, and walked backwards. "The first time I possessed him was for fun; I just wanted to kill something. But, eventually, he got exorcised and I was forced out."

I had no idea what he was talking about, but he was excited and I assumed this was important to him, so I pretended to be interested.

"Humans are simple creatures," he said, an amused grin twisting his filthy features. "Right after Reiji started school, he relapsed. I possessed him again, and, voilà! All mine."

"You're a very strange person, Astaroth."

"Like you're any better," he hissed.

* * *

**I keep reading the title as Crap Demon. :/**

**If you noticed the description, I picked a pairing. Pretty much everyone said either Bon or Rin would work so I decided on a triangle: RinxAmai and BonxAmai. I would also like to state that I don't do the whole uke/seme thing so Amai won't be submissive all the time.**

**Yikes, I've never had this many reviews before! You guys don't have to read these author's notes if you don't want, I realize they can get pretty long. Anyway, thanks for reading!**

**ProbableImpossibilities: **Haha, I was planning on adding Rin so they'll eventually have a team (though not a very one.) I'm sure Amai will learn about demons eventually since he's surrounded by exorcists, but he's not that bright so...I don't know. xD Thank you for leaving a review!

**mangaczka:** Yes, there will be lots of scenes between Amai and Mepshito! Hopefully enough for them to eventually repair their relationship. Thank you very much for the review!

**blue-exorcist-1090:** Keep writing and one day you'll be great! Don't work too hard, though (seriously sometimes I stay up until 3 in the morning fussing over my writing; don't do that.) Thanks for taking the time to comment and I look forward to reading more about Seiko! (:

**LadyEilkahn:** Heehee, Amai likes to stare at things. xD Thank you so much! I'm really happy you like my stories!

**ai enmachan:** Something bad always seems to happen with Astaroth involved lol. Oh no, my Amai was very OOC back then and it was embarrassing. xD Anyway, thank you for making an effort to leave reviews! It really means a lot to me!

**StalkSongGo55:** It's a huge relief to know everyone's in-character so far. Thank you so much! And don't worry, you don't have to leave a review every chapter if you don't have the time. I understand that real life gets busy and that people might not have the time to get online to read stuff. (:


	4. Brotherly Escort

**Chapter Four**

Astaroth somehow managed to dispel his putrid scent by removing his horns and tail. I was briefly concerned about how he did it and where he hid them, but the thought eventually faded as we sat down to eat.

We were taking a break on a bench near the convenience store. I turned my body to him slightly, feeling as if I had to keep him in my peripheral.

He was asking me about myself: why I didn't remember him and why I was attending True Cross. I told him what I knew about the accident, purposely omitting my scar. I didn't want Astaroth to see something so ugly and embarrassing.

"A car, huh?" Astaroth shoved a large portion of the yakisoba bread into his mouth and ripped it off with his jagged teeth. "Hmm," he hummed in thought as he chewed.

"Mr. Doctor said my head was pinned between the front bumper and the guardrail."

"Who was driving?"

I shook my head. "The police couldn't find anything. It was empty. No witnesses, no license plate numbers, nothing. Whoever hit me grabbed all their things and ran."

"Can't they search previous owners or something?" He took another big bite.

I stared down at my open bag of chips, feeling my appetite wane, and shrugged a shoulder. "I don't know. Mr. Doctor said I shouldn't worry about it and focus on getting better... _Enjoy the pleasures of the moment without concern for the future_."

Astaroth snorted sarcastically as he unwrapped another sandwich. "The fuck is that supposed to mean?"

"I'm not sure."

"When I find out who did this..." he growled under his breath, crushing the bread with his hand and watching as the noodles squeezed out the other end. "_No one_ hurts my baby brother."

I realized, with a nauseous churn of my stomach, that what Astaroth had just said was out of character. 'Baby brother' didn't carry the same familiarity 'Otouto' did. No, that raspy voice never once called me brother.

"I'm not mad at them, if that's what you think."

But Astaroth wasn't listening. He dug his teeth into the bread and angrily scarfed down the poor sandwich.

"Being human sucks," he sighed when he noticed his bag was empty. "Why do they have to eat all the time?" He blew his white bangs out of his eyes. "How the hell have you been able to do this for so long?"

"I like to eat."

He laughed loudly. "Right, forgot about that."

I was beginning to feel exceedingly uncomfortable being alone with Astaroth, and wanted to go back to Bon, (or at least to our room.) I folded my unfinished bag of chips and stood.

"I have to go home."

Astaroth looked up at me, brow knitted together in confusion. "Already? It's barely midnight."

"I have class tomorrow."

"Whatever," he waved a hand lazily, as if to dismiss me. "...Do you even know how to get back?"

"Yes."

A strong wind rustled the budding branches, making the cold, night air overwhelming and unshakable. I shivered, (this time from the temperature), and wrapped my arms around my chest. Finding a hint of courage, I ripped my eyes from Astaroth and glanced down the street to my left. There was no sign of a school, no iron gate, no late-night teenagers, none of big brother's colorful banners, just more shops and Bon's bookstore. I didn't know which way the Academy was from here.

"No."

Astaroth let out a heavy, annoyed sigh, pushing himself to his feet. "The things I do for you, Amaimon." He shoved his hands in his pockets and began to walk away from the store. "Fucking idiot." I followed him.

"It's not my fault I can't remember."

"You're right; it's not. But you _know_ you have these issues, so you should take responsibility and carry a map, _idiot_," he growled.

This suddenly made me angry, and I wasn't able to comprehend why. "Don't talk to me about responsibility, _Astaroth_. You're the one who has the least self-control."

He turned back to me, glaring through narrowed eyes, and let out a deep, annoyed grunt. "Don't sass me."

"Then don't give me a reason to sass you."

A brow twitched with frustration. "Do you want to get back to the Academy or not?"

"I apologize."

"Good."

* * *

The thick, gray clouds I noticed earlier were rolling ever closer, bringing with them the sweet, fresh scent of ozone. It was going to rain soon, a tender spring shower that would patter softly against my window. I barely paid attention to Astaroth, closing my eyes against the soft, damp breeze. He yelled at me repeatedly to keep up, but strangely, just before we reached the entrance of the illuminated dormitory, he stopped me.

"Listen, when we're on campus, my name is _Shiratori Reiji_. Understand?" I nodded, though I knew I wouldn't be able to remember something that long. "Good. I'm your distant cousin Reiji."

"Okay, Reiji."

"Perfect! Now," he held up his hands as if to stop me from moving. "_Stay_."

Stay? But my dormitory is right here. Why would he need me to stay? Couldn't I go inside?

Regardless, I remained where I was while Asta – oh, um – Rinji vanished around the corner. Unable to control my curiosity, I trailed him. I froze against a wall when I heard his voice, hard and angry, along with an older, unfamiliar tone. The man, I assumed he was named Neuhaus from the conversation, was to give my raucous, imprudent brother payment for something. ('His services', he called it.) They argued for a moment about an empty warehouse and then went silent.

I heard his footsteps a second before I saw him. Neuhaus was a much older man than myself, wearing that familiar, black, elongated jacket big brother forced all of his staff members to wear. He paused to look down at me. I was certain he spoke, but I was too distracted by the eye-patch and a strong, copper scent to care.

There was something about this man that made little warning alarms go off in my head, and I think it had something to do with the scent of death that lingered around him.

"Amaimon!" I was pulled out of my thoughts to find Rinji had replaced Neuhaus.

"Hello, Rinji. Did you get your payment?"

"Reiji! My name is Reiji! How can you not remember that!? I just told you five minutes ago!" His face flared a bright red and he looked like he wanted to tear his hair out.

"I thought your name was Astaroth?"

"No, don't call me that while we're at school!"

First he tells me his name is Astaroth, now he says it's Reiji! Which one is it? Are two people living in one body? If not, why does he have two names? Is his family name Astaroth? I'm so confused.

Rinji/Astaroth/Reiji/my brother straightened his posture, sighing heavily to keep himself composed. "I don't have time to play with you, Amaimon. I have to go." He gave me a halfhearted wave and grumbled to himself as he walked toward the Academy's entrance, disappearing from my view around the corner of the main building.

I waited outside the back of my dormitory, staring up at the sky, wondering if it would rain soon. The droplets would be cold, and I knew I couldn't stand out here too long without getting ill, but I still desperately yearned to feel the water wash away my thoughts. It never happened in my dream field, so occasionally, when the sky ripped open and a storm broke, I would stand under the rain and close my eyes, imagining the grass swaying with the breeze, the trees rubbing their leaves together, the rumbling thunder in the distance.

A shame it was all a fantasy.

And, just like in that fantasy, I was woken from my late-night reverie by the sound of a familiar voice. I instantly recognized it as big brother's, and followed it around to the front of the abandoned boy's dormitory. Mephisto was filing a small group out of the dilapidated building. I saw Bon and my body responded automatically. I hurried over to him without thinking. Strange, black splotches of a thick liquid covered his clothes. Not just him; all the students were covered with it.

"What's this?"

I swiped a bit off his sweater vest to examine it. The ooze was sticky and had a rotten, putrid scent...just like Astaroth and his old friend. I resisted the urge to taste it and wiped it on my sleeve.

"What are you doing here?" Bon seemed frightened. He was trembling, his breath was uneven, and his fists were clenched. I knew I wasn't supposed to comment on it; he was trying to be brave.

"I went to the store with a friend."

His brow scrunched together suspiciously. I normally didn't interact with people aside from Bon and big brother, so I understood his reaction. "_Friend_? What kind of friend?"

"I met him at the dark place with the warehouses."

"Warehouses?" Shima rudely entered our conversation with a concerned frown. "That's almost three miles from here."

"You went to the convenience store with a guy you barely knew," he paused to gather his thoughts, narrowing his eyes at me, "who you met in a dark alleyway, away from people, or lights, or open businesses, and you don't see anything _wrong_ with that?"

"No. It was just Rinji."

"_Just Rinji!?_" His anger exploded. "Okay, so what if it wasn't '_just Rinji'_!?" He used air quotes sarcastically. "What if it was a Yakuza member? Or a serial killer? Or a rapist? _Or a cannibal?_" That last one struck a chord, but I tried to hide my flinch. "You could have been hurt! Or worse! I can't believe you'd just – ARGH!" He gripped his head and growled in frustration.

"It was just Rinji," I repeated, trying to reassure him. "He wasn't going to hurt me."

"Do you ever think about anyone but yourself!?" Bon yelled at me, something he normally didn't do.

"Whoa, okay, calm down!" Shima gripped his friend's shoulders to keep him from having a heart attack.

"The gorilla is a little on edge since we were just attacked by a ghoul." A girl with long, purple hair done up in pigtails attempted to explain his behavior to me with a haughty tone.

"Ghoul?" I tilted my head at her. "What's a ghoul?"

She let out an annoyed huff. "Are you kidding? It's one of those slimy, nasty-" She stopped when she faced me, surprised to see me. The girl's eyes widened briefly before scrunching again. "Hmph. I wasn't talking to you." I noticed her body, like Bon's, was trembling.

Unlike Shiemi, she disliked me staring and turned away angrily.

Speaking of Shiemi, where was she? I knew she was enrolled in the cram school, yet I didn't see her among the students. Perhaps she didn't attend the study camp.

"Ah, Otouto! I need to ask something of you before you leave." Mephisto had tiny, confetti stars dotting his cape.

"Yes, big brother?"

"Stay away from the Okumura brothers."

"Why?"

"Because I said so."

I suppose that's a good enough reason. "Okay."

His lips twitched at the corners, as if he were fighting his signature smirk. "Have fun in class tomorrow," he said cheerily, patting my head.

"Goodnight."

"Let's go." I flinched as Bon's grabbed me, his hard, flat voice cutting through the night's unnatural silence.

"I thought you were going to spend the night here because of your study session?"

He released me and walked away without so much as a glance. "I changed my mind. Hurry up." I turned back to the old dormitory. The building was tall and run-down with an unpleasant scent, but I couldn't sense anything frightening about it. Bon didn't scare easily...so what was making him this anxious?

"Amai!"

"Coming!"

I guess I'll figure it out later.

* * *

**Uhh...I think I might have overdone the Rinji thing... Also I couldn't come up with a good name for this chapter. 'Brotherly Escort' sounds kinda incestuous and gross (eww Astaroth) to me...**

**mangaczka: **Yep, Astaroth is a pretty important character...but I won't give it away, heehee. Thank you for your review! (:

**StalkSongGo55:** I'm so happy you enjoyed the chapter! And...yeah, Amai isn't very smart when it comes to demons, lol. I think that's what makes this so fun to write. "Oh a demon? That's cool let me just think about rain some more..." xD Thank you so much for the review!

**ProbableImpossibilities:** I always imagined canon Amai would be a little sassy if given the opportunity, which would probably result in a sass fight between either him and Mephisto or him and Shura. Anyway, thank you very much for this nice review!

**ai enmachan:** Oh no! Don't get diabetes I can't afford to pay for your treatment! xD And yes! Astaroth wanted to drag Rin back to Gehenna in the first episode/chapter. I'm sure he still does, haha! I'm really really happy you enjoyed this chapter and thank you so much for leaving this lovely review!


	5. Author's Note

**Author's Note  
****This story is discontinued.**

**First, thank you to everyone who has left a review or followed/favorited. I have never had this many reviews per chapter on anything I've posted so far and it's going to be sad to see it go lol. **

**Here's what happened: halfway through writing the fifth chapter, I realized I didn't like the way Crap Demon was organized. Because it was a 'slice-of-life' story and didn't focus on a well-structured plot, I had difficulty trying to decide what to write for this chapter. So I went back and tried to fix the previous chapters in hope of sparking inspiration. **

**Basically, I scrapped everything I had and started over. Instead of replacing the chapters with what I had, I decided to post it as a new, separate story. T****he rewrite is on my profile now if anyone is still interested in following under the name _Carpe Demon: Revisit_. The basic plot and pairings are the same and everything that took place in this version will eventually happen in the new one.**

**I sincerely apologize for rewriting ANOTHER story of mine and I hope everyone who reads the newer version likes it!**

**Here's a small preview of the first chapter:**

The cool, bitter evening wind brushed playfully against my hair, carrying with it the subtle scent of fried food. Late night snacks for the new students, I assumed. I ignored the growls from my protesting stomach as I left the academy grounds and concentrated on remembering the proper path to the park. The black sky, beautiful and vast, was speckled with white lights; it was the highlight of my midnight walks.

I often visited the swing set when the hospital environment became too much or when the night sky was clear. The crisp, outside air cleansed my mind and the sensation of being weightless as I swung back and forth seemed to make everything better. Just for a little while, all the bad things were gone, and I could allow myself to forget about the angst that had built up within me.

Tonight, however, I noticed someone occupying one of the swings. He stared at his feet and kicked dirt with his worn shoes. Unconcerned about his presence, I sat beside him, swaying gently back and forth. He raised his head to give me a bewildered frown, eyes a vibrant, piercing blue. We examined each other for what felt like a long time, the silence tense and awkward between us.

"Are you here to look at the stars, too?"

His eyes widened briefly before he glanced up at the night sky. Then he turned back to me with a small smile that brightened his face, surprising me. "I never noticed how pretty it was at night. I guess I should appreciate it more."

We both returned to watching the stars sparkle above us. "It is pretty, isn't it? Like someone brushed powdered sugar over black fondant."

He laughed, a warm, natural sound, as if he found amusement in many things. "I never heard it described like that before."

But his expression faltered and his face took on a somber, melancholy edge. A deep frown pulled at his lips, tears began to form in his effervescent eyes, and his arms trembled as his grip on the metal chains tightened. He bit his bottom lip, trying to suppress his emotions, and sniffled loudly.

"Is something wrong?"

"My father died."

"Oh..." That was uncomfortably sudden and I was at a loss for words.


End file.
